(05-21-2017, 03:39 PM)Graeham Wrote: I mean, it's pretty clear by the responses to the numerous threads already discussing this issue that opinions differ on the matter so I don't think anybody should be climbing atop a pedestal and stating with certainty that a particular approach is the 'correct' option.
Not everybody is comfortable with Balmung in its current state. There's plenty of valid reasons as to why someone may wish to move elsewhere. Yes, other communities of role-players will be smaller but that suits some people just fine. Others may move due to suffering major response issues thanks to the server move; especially if they live somewhere in Europe.
I intend to stay for as long as I have friends here. I have a handful of people I trust and care about. I also think it's deceptive to paint Balmung in a solely positive light because it does have its issues and some aspects of the community are pretty rotten. There's stalkers, there's people with no filter in regards to their ERP shenanigans and then there's the numerous flaky individuals who get people's hopes up in regards to promising them role-play only to never deliver and/or they end up just dropping them the moment they find someone newer and fresher to interact with. It happens fairly often when someone commits to a 'romance plot' and suddenly everything else ends up meaning very little by comparison.
Does this happen elsewhere? Of course, but Balmung being so large means there's more good and more bad. Some people are lucky and find some shining gems amongst the muck but others drift about - through no fault of their own - and endure terrible experiences over and over. If it wasn't for the shining gems I found I'd have left this server long ago and I know from what I've heard from other individuals that this is hardly an isolated stance.
That's what you come up with for negatives to Balmung? Stalkers, ERP, missed connections likely due to lack of time or interest?....Okay. Balmung has problems, but these issues aren't relevant or part of that as specific to this server, these are general problems or misperpetuated falsities which plague any group or none at all.
First, stalkers, going to just say, they aren't a group, they are individuals. There are more RPers and players in general, so there will naturally be more of each individual type of person. Stalkers can first be avoided by setting clear and concise limits for yourself and your RP partners, and leave at the first sign that these limits aren't being respected or are being broken. If they continue to approach you, be sure to document each contact and go through official channels, this is not a problem only for Balmung, but for Internet folk and RPers in general any place they go.
ERP "shenanigans" is a myth for the most part. You would on a very odd occasion, find acceidental /says or otherwise, and maybe...what "naked" characters which aren't really naked and doesn't bother anyone unless you're that much a prude. This is one of the more nonsense things I see perpetuated by nonrpers, basement dwellers, and other types so fully uncomfortable with their own sexuality and the existence of sexuality in general, that they have one or two instances in probably hundreds to thousands of hours of gameplay on a packed server, and suddenly there is an epidemic. Please if you find something you don't like, understand that first it isn't always going to be a problem to others, and secondly admit to yourself and others it is a rare occurrence and move on with life.
There are hundreds if not more RPers, if someone says they'll RP with you in the future, whether scheduled or not, that doesn't mean in an internet setting, that you will get together every time. Sometimes people get busy, sometimes they don't find your RP as valuable as other RP, sometimes they just plain forget from living real life, BUT again this is not some sort of epidemic specific to Balmung, just RP groups in general.
BALMUNG HAS ISSUES, but I would rather talk about real ones that affect the population as a whole and should be encouraged to change as a whole to open up further RP avenues than these trite issues that affect anyone anywhere on the internet.
